Safe and easy truck bed removal

The removal of a truck bed is sometimes necessary to perform certain repairs, such as fuel pump replacement. This task could be performed by four guys lifting the bed by hand. Not only is this a risky procedure, but finding available and willing friends to do such dangerous work can be hard to come by. Motor City Lift King just made a truck bed removal a safe and easy one-man job.

The patented Lift King requires no power and folds up for easy storage with measurements of 42” wide, 30”deep and 84”tall. This product is designed to be used by one person as a fast, easy and safe way to remove/install a pick-up truck bed, topper, door, and semi hood. The Lift King features a safety system to protect the product and the operator. Various attachments allow the Lift King to be utilized for the different jobs and all attachments are switched out with only a few pins. For more information, visit www.prolinetoolsupply.com.

At Fleetwest, our transferable truck bodies don’t require you to remove your truck bed. In fact, that’s one of our selling points. Our steel Load’N’Go and fiberglass composite utility bodies are fully transferable, even fully loaded, made possible with a no-holes drilled installation. They can be transferred on and off in minutes with the use of our lifting jacks, forklift or crane. I’m thinking we may have to give this Lift King a try as well.

Fleetwest utility truck bodies have more cubic feet of storage than Bolt-On bodies and have a better return on investment. With the additional storage, flexibility and efficiency alone, Fleetwest provides fleet solutions to reduce your operational costs while improving your productivity. For more information or a detailed quote, call us toll free in the U.S. at (866) 497-7200 or visit www.fleetwest.net. 

Innovative Fleet Solutions…Transferability Changes Everything!

Whose coming north and who's going south...

As you may already know, back in April, Ford announced its plan to build a new auto factory in Mexico to resume building the Ranger and Bronco for the U.S. market. The $1.6 billion assembly plant will be built in the San Luis Potosi state and it’s expected to generate 2,800 jobs. It is said to also take-over production of some of the company’s small cars which are currently being produced in the U.S., according to the Associated Press.

Republican presidential campaign front-runner Donald Trump ridiculed Ford’s plans, saying it will just continue to drive down wages in the U.S. and increase unemployment. Trump believes that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is the cause of heavy job loss in the United States. He said that, if elected president, he will alter the NAFTA so that it will punish the U.S. companies that continue to operate under the original 1994 agreement.

In response to Trump’s judgment, Ford expressed that it continues to heavily invest in the United States. Ford reported that it currently spends more than 80 percent of its capital in the U.S. and plans on spending $8 to $9 billion more over the next four years.

Now a  month after Ford’s announcement, apparently General Motors plans to move its pickup production back to the United States from south of the border. According to The Detroit News, a memo from the United Auto Workers Local 598 reports that GM’s Flint Assembly will be taking on pickup production from the company’s plant currently in Silao, Mexico. 

The memo states, that the Flint plant will have to add a Saturday shift and possibly hire part-time workers to help with the increased work load next year. The plant currently employs approximately 2,800 workers. The UAW feels that the production move will satisfy customers that want more vehicles produced in the U.S. We all know how Trump will feel!

Fleetwest is proud to say that our Load’N’Go transferable truck bodies are made in the USA. They universally fit most standard pickup trucks like Ford, GM, Dodge and Toyota with 8’ and 6.5’ beds. The Load’N’Go is fully transferable from one truck bed to another, even fully loaded, with a no holes drilled installation. They are made with heavy duty 16 gauges steel and finished with a rugged white powder coat. Call a representative today for a quote at (866) 497-7200.

A new breed takes safety to the next level

Safety is always of top priority amongst all Fleets; not only for drivers, but for pedestrians and other vehicles in general. The average mid-sized truck has a blind spot that can extend up to 160 feet behind the vehicle, according to the National Safety Council. The larger utility trucks can find it even more challenging to see pedestrians, vehicles or property when backing a vehicle due to their wider bodies and that they sit higher off the ground. For these reasons, a growing number of utility fleets are installing backup cameras to reduce incidents and increase rear visibility.

A Newport Beach, Ca. based company, Convoy Technologies, has stepped up the game with their vehicle camera systems. Their technology equips a backup camera with a motion sensor that automatically turns on the camera, records footage and even alerts the fleet manager in real time when someone is attempting to steal equipment from a truck. The camera is also combined with GPS telematics data to help exonerate drivers and the company from false claims.

Aptly named Videomatics, Convoy Technologies (www.convoytechnologies.com) has trademarked this combination of technology with cameras, digital video recorders and telematics. Videomatics provides drivers and management with live and recorded video from inside and around a vehicle accessible via PC, tablet or smartphone. Thus generating high-quality video evidence for fleets in proving fault for incidents and also improving drivers overall behavior.

At Fleetwest we take safety very seriously. All of our units are designed with technician safety in mind. The Fleetwest fiberglass composite utility bodies provide higher safety ratings with their 60/40 rear door split for safer curbside cargo access. Convenience and ergonomics are paramount with our ‘perimeter standing access’ with which the total content of the capsule can be reached from the outside. Therefore, no more head, neck or back injuries from crawling in and out of a van. Not to mention an array of additional options including:

·        single or dual slide outs- to safely load and unload heavy equipment

·        side mount and backup cameras-to assist with visibility and reduce incidents

·        additional interior and exterior LED lighting- to shed some light on your tools  and work area

·        low-profile ladder racks- for safe loading/unloading of ladders and easy  access for garages

I almost forgot to mention that they are 100% transferable! This unibody capsule will transfer from one truck to another, even fully loaded! To learn more about our transferable truck bodies, call a Fleetwest representative toll-free in the U.S. at (866) 497-7200.   

“Innovative Fleet Solutions”

Re-Engineered, Re-Branded, and Ready to go!

Fleetwest has re-engineered their popular fiberglass Composite Truck Body.  The newly branded CTB 175 & 145 models, formerly known as the Durashell, are fitted with larger 60/40 rear split doors, water drip channels, truck-grade hardware and heavy duty slam-latching mechanisms redesigned for years of use. They universally fit most full-sized pickup trucks with a no-holes drilled installation that allows them to be transferred on/off a standard truck bed, even fully loaded. It’s ergonomically engineered with an industry leading 320˚ perimeter standing access. All still available with a multitude of options. 

Options could include:

• Custom shelving
• Additional LED lighting
• Single or dual 1000 lb. capacity slide outs 
• Patented low-profile ladder rack. 

For more information call (866) 497-7200       

Innovative solutions to decrease fleet downtime

Many manufacturers, like Michelin and Continental Tire, are developing self-sealing tire technology focused for light-duty passenger vehicles. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. main focus with the DuraSeal self-sealing tire line is especially for truck fleets. This is music to utility fleet’s ears. Self-sealing tires can be a great asset and allowing operators to travel across hazardous terrain without worry of a flat tire.

How does this self-sealing tire technology work? Each tire contains an extra layer of a unique, sticky substance that covers the inside of the tire from side to side. When a puncture occurs, this substance seals the hole automatically. The DuraSeal technology seal punctures up to a quarter-inch in diameter, within the repairable area of the tread. Drivers are able to continue traveling indefinitely, as long as the sidewalls aren’t affected. In instances where repairs are needed, the self-sealing technology buys the driver time to reach a safe place to work.

 “Utility fleet trucks often travel across challenging, debris-strewn surfaces en route to their destinations and are sometimes exposed to objects that have the potential to puncture their tires, which can result in vehicle downtime, an expensive proposition for utility companies,” said Norberto Flores, marketing manager at Goodyear. “Goodyear DuraSeal Technology is designed to help minimize downtime by allowing truck tires to retain air pressure and continue rolling.”

Flores goes on to explain that the DuraSeal technology offers its benefits throughout the tire’s life cycle, including multiple retreads. There is currently a wide range of tires available in the U.S. with the DuraSeal Technology; however, these tires do come with a much bigger price tag. Even though these tires cost about three times as much as a standard tire, they will eventually pay for themselves over time. Fleet managers need to factor in the decreased vehicle downtime and fewer tire replacements to justify purchasing. 

Another great way to decrease your fleet downtime is with a Fleetwest transferable truck body. Fleetwest offers both heavy duty steel and lightweight composite models. All models are 100% transferable from one truck to another, even fully loaded, in minutes. They universally fit most full size pickup trucks, 8’ and 6.5’ beds, with a no holes drilled installation making it built to last multiple truck cycles. Fleetwest provides the innovative solutions to optimize your fleets’ productivity and work flow.  For more information, call a Fleetwest representative today toll-free in the U.S. at (866)497-7200 or visit www.fleetwest.net.